Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-12
DEVASTATED by DROUTH.
Thousands of Miles Laid Waste No Rain
for Ten Weeks Crops Ruined.

CHICAGO, Aug. "a local paper, sum
ming up the many reports received by it
of drouth, prairie fires, ruined crops, etc,
says this morning; There is an area of
perhaps $4,000 square miles in the North
west where the dust lies heavily upon the
earth 7 he district is bounded by Madi-
son on the north, Blooming on the south,
Lake Michigan on the east and the Mis-
sissippi river on the west. II is withiu
the limits of these boundaries that ycge.
tatiou has lost its normal color and the
earth its moisture. Day after day the sun
sends It's burning rays upon the parched
farms aud fields. Leaves are falling from
the trees the grass in the meadows has
grown yellow, and the streams in which
the cattle useC to Stake their thirst are
dry. 1t has been nearly 10 weeks since
rain fell IN this district. With not enough
moisture in the ground to teed 4 thistle.
the condition OF corn aud the tender
grass in the meadows may be imagined
In southern Wisconsin there are tnou-
sands OF acres where corn will not yield Il
peck to the acre. The crop has been
scOrched and almost totally destroyed.
The leaves of the cereal are yellow and
brittle, and droop almost to the ground.
Wells have become dry, and in some
drinking water at hand is often polluted
and filled with poisonous germs. Typhoid
fever Is becoming prevalent, and dyaeu
terry and other stomach disturbances are
SO common in some places as to be almost
epidemic. Unless rain falls before many
days the suffering will be greatly aug
mcnted.
Without pasturage to browse upon or
pools in which to stand during the hot
hours of the day, the cattle have become
so emacated as to be almost unmarketa.
bic. In some places the forest trees have
been felled and dragged to the pasture.
and the cattle turned loose to feed uDur
the leaves. Hundreds of cows are beng
killed and shipped to market for mere
pittance. At Winsow, Ill, one farmer
| bought 10 head of cattle last January at
$50 per head. When he offered to sell the
entire herd last week Tor 800 he could moi
find purchaser. Farmers in tn district
nave already turned Their cattle loose to
| feed on the crops.
Added to all the mlseries attending The
| great drought is the constant fear OF ijres
| The tall grass of the pralries is dead, the
fields ale ready to burst into flame, and
| leaves lie in heaps in the forests. a park
starts fire, and the blistcnng, ; IL; IA
| like wind fans the flame into conflgra
| ton. III some towns the people are tel
called out three or four times Il day Il
| fight the flames. Destructive fires have
been raging for many days in Kcnoeha
Racine and Walw orth countle, IN Wis
cOnsin. Thousand, Of acres have beeI
swept by the flames, and the loss e
farmers In hay, grain, fencing aud b'ild
ings is very great. Above Mad son th'
boys are burning tierccly, and The punG n
smoke hangs over the country for uile
around.
The northern Illinois fires are so numcr
Gus that the Ial mers have ploughed tn
rroun1 about their buildings in orde' Il
check the spI cad of the flames. Should
the drought remain unbroken murl
longer, incalculabe ruin will he Vlough
by tne fires which spring up in uue&p" rle,
places and in the most mysterious Lia'.
ner. In some parts of the district TN
drought is so terrible that butteruuts an,
walDuts have fallen from the trees. Pc
tatoes, when taken from their beds o
ashes, look like crab apples. They ar
wrnkled and spongy and unfit for food
There Is also great scarcity of milk
owing to the inability OF cows TO find NJ
tr.tious food.